Supermarkets constant drive for perfection in fresh produce, which has conditioned the consumer to only accept perfect looking fruit and vegetables, is finally going to change this year, due to the terrible summer weather farmers have endured.

Supermarkets have finally relaxed their rules to allow smaller fruit and vegetables onto their shelves after the dreadful summer weather devastated harvests of British crops.

Many farmers are reporting that their yields of seasonal staples such as brussels sprouts, peas, carrots and potatoes are 20%-40% down after the wettest summer in a century. Supermarkets are reducing their usual requirement for brussels sprouts to be 23-40mm in circumference as many vegetables are about 10% smaller than normal, according to the British Growers Association.

The poor growing conditions this summer have resulted in some sprouts having darker external leaves, referred to as ‘purpling’. This colour difference has no effect on flavour, but Sainsbury’s said it would be accepting sprouts with purpling this year.

The pea harvest, which ran three to four weeks late, was down by about 45%, cutting farmers’ revenues by £20m. Peas are now already being imported from Spain.

The potato harvest is down 5% or more. Tesco has reduced its size specification, whilst Sainsbury’s is trialling selling a ‘basic potato’ range with more cracks and imperfection.

The apple crop is also down by about 27% in the UK and 20% in Europe, making it the worst since 1997. There will be a shortage of English apples by January which will drive the prices up by about 17%.

Tesco said: “We are helping our growers and suppliers by stocking produce that covers different sizes, weights and sometimes shapes… we have no plans to change our pack weights, although the vegetables might be smaller.”

With our ever growing population and inevitable shortage of food, perhaps the consumer should be ‘reconditioned’ and become more accustomed to buying and eating more ‘imperfect’ fresh produce. We should all fully support our UK farmers and buy what’s produced, not just what the supermarkets think we should buy. Questions should be asked what happens to all the ‘non-standard size and shaped’ food currently!

Badgers were first discovered to carry bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in 1971. Since then much research has been undertaken and badgers are now widely considered to represent a significant wildlife ‘reservoir’ of this disease.

Cattle are by far the most susceptible domestic species to the M.bovis bacteria, although farmed deer, boar, bison, buffalo, goats, llamas and alpacas can also be affected.

How does TB spread?

In hotspot areas of cattle TB, the badger population is considered to play a significant role in maintaining the disease and in preventing its eradication. Although other wild mammals carry the disease, badgers have high rates of infection (the number of animals contracting the disease) and high rates of being infectious (where an infected animal then starts spreading the disease).

The ecology and behaviour of badgers means the potential transmission to cattle is high. For example, badgers often forage in pasture, and can spread the disease by cattle sniffing infected faeces and urine. It is considered that these factors make badgers an important link in the cycle of disease. Other routes of disease transmission include direct contact between badgers and cattle and transmission within farm buildings where cattle are housed or feed is stored.

Once a bovine (e.g. a cow) is infected, however, it does not immediately start spreading the disease. TB develops very slowly and it takes time for lesions to grow in the lungs, and these lesions have to open up before cattle start coughing out the bacteria.

What are the symptoms of TB?

TB is primarily a disease of the respiratory system but very few cases are reported in cattle. This is possibly because the symptoms are very similar to other respiratory diseases but also because regular TB testing of dairy herds catches the infection long before it becomes a chronic disease visually affecting the animal.

As lesions are most common in the lungs (called tubercules) a hard, dry, short cough is usually the first symptom, leading to more frequent coughing and laboured breathing. As this continues cattle will lose condition and later cough up blood.

What is the scale of the TB issue in humans?

The Department of Health still views TB as a ‘major public health problem’ and of the 9.2 million new worldwide cases of TB in 2007 (resulting in 1.7 million deaths!) around 7,750 were in the UK.

In the UK and across the world, more than 99 per cent of new cases in humans are caused by M.tuberculosis and not M.bovis. The risk is still there and so TB is a notifiable disease in all farmed animals. TB in humans presents with the same symptoms whether it is caused by M.tuberculosis and not M.bovis.

How do farmers prevent their cattle being infected by TB?

Farmers are required to undertake regular dairy herd surveillance testing for the disease. If cattle test positive they are sent for compulsory slaughter. In 2010 around 25,000 cattle were slaughtered costing the taxpayer tens of millions of pounds. Once a farm has had TB detected in its herd, movement restrictions are placed on that farm. This means animals cannot be moved off the farm (unless straight to slaughter) until the herd passes two further tests, to ensure TB is no longer detected in the herd.

Farmers can often be surprised at the level of badger activity in and around farm buildings, so they also take practical measures to prevent their animals contracting the disease from badgers. Husbandry measures, such as ensuring gates on cattle sheds and feed stores fit well and are shut at night and raising troughs and salt licks.

The financial implication to farmers.

Regular testing and slaughter of animals is a stressful and costly affair. Although farmers receive money for the animals slaughtered, the amount received does not always accurately reflect the true cost of that animal, for example when high value breeding stock contract the disease.

Government figures state that every time a farmer has a breakdown in the herd it will cost an average of £33,000, although this figure can vary greatly between farms. The compensation paid does not cover any consequential losses, for example the loss in milk sales, or the cost of hiring more labour to help with TB testing.

Is culling badgers the right answer?

A poll conducted by the BBC last year found that about two-thirds of the public oppose culling, with majorities in every age group, region and across both genders.

I’m sure the general perception of badgers is a classically beautiful English animal, but before the question of, ‘do you oppose killing badgers to curb cattle tuberculosis’ with a simple yes or no answer, might it be better to enlightened the general public that it’s ultimately costing the taxpayer about £100m per year and resulting in the death of tens of thousands of cattle?

Your views & thoughts?

Theft in 2010 is estimated to have cost the UK farming industry £50m, an increase of 20% from 2009, says the NFU Mutual.

The NFU Mutual Rural Crime Survey (RCS) was based on the 2010 claims experience of its branch offices in rural towns and villages and reports that the most popular targets for rural thieves were not livestock or crops but chainsaws, electric drills and lawnmowers.

In England, theft cost farmers £42.8m in 2010, up 26% on the previous year. In Scotland, the cost of claims rose by 57% since 2009, to £1.4m, and in Northern Ireland it rose by 28% to £3.8m. But in contrast in Wales, the cost was £1.7m, down by 48% from the previous year.

The theft of tractors, heating oil, scrap metal and livestock from farms and rural businesses tended to be during broad daylight, 59% of branches said the most common time of day for thieves to act was between midnight and 0600.

Nearly 60% said thefts from farms or outbuildings was the biggest problem, while 12% said garden sheds and garages attracted thieves. When asked why thieves target the countryside, 41% of branches said the large areas involved made it difficult to police, while 32% claimed there was less chance of thieves being seen.

Lindsay Sinclair, chief executive of NFU Mutual, said: “Whether it’s the recession, tighter security in towns, or the rise in oil, meat and scrap metal prices countryside people are feeling the blight of rural crime on their land.

“However, country people are not taking this scourge lying down. We’ve already seen that by working with the police forces and manufacturers, tractor theft and organised rural crime can be tackled head-on. A united front against crime in the countryside will help to protect communities from being targeted further with vigilance as the watchword.”

• 5.5 million - The number of people employed by the rural economy
• 800 - Village shops close each year
• £2.2 billion - Domestic food and drink contribution to the UK economy
• British livestock is highly sought after for international breeding
• Agricultural contribution to the economy in £millions
  • 2001 - £6720
  • 2002 - £6852
  • 2003 - £7151
  • 2004 - £6900
  • 2005 - £6750
  • 2006 - £6550
• 70% of all our drinking water comes from the upland areas of the UK
• UK Land use across the UK - 80% farmland - 20% non-farmland
• UK self-sufficiency - 60% domestically grown food - 40% imported food
• The UK is the 7th largest producer of wool globally
• The rural tourism sector generates £14 billion from 75 million visits per year
• 60,000 new entrants are needed in the farming industry in the next decade

Source: The Prince’s Countryside Fund

Under current European Union (EU) labelling regulations the country shown on a food label refers to the place the product was last processed, not where it was produced.

A labelling loophole allows grocery chains to mark products as “Produced in the UK” if the last significant change to it took place in Britain, even if the main ingredient comes from abroad.

So supermarkets for instance can sell sausages “made in Britain” using cheap Danish pork and legitimately label them as British sausages. They can legally label chicken sandwiches as “Produced in the UK”, even if the chicken has come from intensive poultry sheds in Thailand, because they have placed the chicken between bread.

Clear and transparent labelling on all meat products sold in the UK is essential so consumers can make informed choices and have confidence in the products they are buying. British farmers are subject to some of the highest animal welfare and production standards in the world, not just within the EU.

Using the Pig industry as an example:

More than 90 percent of UK pig meat is produced under the auspices of farm assurance schemes, e.g. Assured British Pigs. These schemes have defined written welfare standards which are audited by independent annual inspection and quarterly visits from a veterinary surgeon. 70 percent of pigs imported to the UK did not meet UK minimum legal standards.

The UK has a higher cost of production than most countries within the EU. Research shows the cost of production was 12 percent higher in UK than the EU, and more than 60 percent higher than in North and South America. World Trade Organisation rules are generally interpreted as precluding any trade restrictions on the basis of animal welfare standards, placing the EU and UK in particular at a significant competitive disadvantage!

Food retailers could play a major role in ensuring all food sold in the UK meets UK production standards. Because food is not labelled according to its welfare provenance, then concerned consumers are not able to exercise their choice and may, unwittingly, purchase products that do not meet their requirements.

Below are some major food retailers labelling cons:

ASDA - 6 mini pork pies - These Pork pies were produced in the UK, however the meat is from anywhere inside the EU.

Sainsbury’s ‘Taste the Difference’ - Spaghetti Bolognese - From the front of the label the consumer is led to believe the beef in the Bolognese is from Scotland… However the fine print on the back says that it is also produced using Italian, German and French pork.

Tesco ‘Finest’ - British Butter Roast Turkey - This butter roast turkey is marked as British and even has a British flag on the label… However turn over and you find out that the turkey in the product may have been slaughtered in the Republic of Ireland.

Tesco - Lincolnshire 6 Sausage Rolls - These sausages rolls are clearly marketed as coming from Lincolnshire… But the meat can come from anywhere inside the EU – that’s 27 possible countries.

The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) ‘not in my cuppa‘ campaign is spot on, but they seem to be missing one vital question, ‘why are mega dairy applications happening in the first place’?

Figures show the average cost of British milk in supermarkets is 25.94p per litre. The average cost of milk production is 29.1p per litre, a gap of 3.16p.

According to figures from the Milk Development Council, the number of dairy farmers in England and Wales in December 2010 stood at 11,041, a decline of 461 on the year before. Since 2002 there has been a 58 per cent drop from 19,000!

The WSPA’s recent survey conducted by Ipsos MORI showed that, excluding price, freshness is the most important consideration for the majority (69 per cent) of adults who buy milk. However, over a fifth (22 per cent) put the cows’ welfare above this. When asked if they would ever buy milk produced from around 8,000 cows kept in large indoor sheds, 61 per cent said “never”.

The reason normal sized dairy farms are going out of business is because the price of milk paid to farmers is not sustainable. An NFU report shows that dairy farmers lose an average of over 3p per litre of milk they produce. About 11bn litres of milk are produced annually across the UK, resulting in farmers losing £330m.

As with most industries, the bigger the producer, the cheaper a product can be produced. The same sadly applies to the dairy industry.

Supermarkets are the main culprit for mega-dairies as they regularly sell milk as a loss-leader (below cost price) to entice consumers into shops, so they want to buy it as cheaply as possible. Perhaps we as consumers should demand higher prices, but can you see that happening?

UK supermarkets are raising prices higher than inflation, risking a government inquiry, investment bank UBS has warned. But are supermarkets paying porducers more, or just pocketing the profit?

Food inflation in the UK was at an annual rate of 4.6% in February, its highest level for 18 months, markedly higher than the Eurozone average of 1.8% and the US average of 1.5%, according to a new UBS report.

The sharp rise contributed to the overall UK inflation rate increase to 4% earlier this month, twice the Bank of England’s target.
The sharp rises in commodity prices over the past year would justify a 3-5% increase in processed food prices, but some supermarkets have raised prices by 6-6.5%.

UBS suggests that supermarkets may be increasing profit margins from food sales, which could trigger a competition inquiry.
Paul Donovan says: “Prices are rising in excess of justifiable cost increases.”

Retailers say poor weather and a weak pound has pushed up food import costs but UBS says the “scale” of inflation has made Britain the most vulnerable to political intervention.

The report also adds that only 20-25 per cent of the final processed food price reflects “commodity input”, with most of the cost consisting of packaging, labour, marketing and distribution.

No one could forget the footage of the pyres of livestock during the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD). The contiguous culling policy accounted for 10 million animals even though only 2,000 cases were confirmed. The Government even drafted in hunt staff  when it became clear the cull was being badly handled and carried out. The outbreak devastated whole families and communities and no one was really sure if the farming industry would bounce back.

Many farmers adapted to post-FMD farming. On-farm enterprises such as farm shops, tea shops, B&Bs, bakeries and wildlife nature trails have grown out of necessity - keep the farm going, make it viable. The way farming has moved on from FMD should provide encouragement. The British grit, determination and ability to pick ourselves up whatever the circumstances has proven invaluable.

British dairy farmers are facing a £330m deficit as the cost of producing milk far outweighs the price they are paid for it by the supermarkets.

A new report from the NFU shows that dairy farmers lose an average of over 3p for every litre of milk that they produce. According to the union’s report, about 11bn litres of milk are produced annually on dairy farms across the UK, meaning that farmers are looking at a £330m funding gap.

The gloomy figures will heighten fears that more dairy farmers will go out of business. The sector is already contracting at an alarming rate. According to new figures from the Milk Development Council, the number of dairy producers in England and Wales in December 2010 stood at 11,041, a decline of 461 on the year before. Farmers in Wales were particularly badly hit, with 103 dairy farms going out of business over 2010. As recently as 2002 there were 19,000 dairy producers in England and Wales (58% drop in 8 years!!).

The NFU report shows that the costs of feed and bedding have increased by 16.6% and 13.8% respectively over last year. The price of blended fertiliser rose by 50% between November 2009 and November 2010.

Mansel Raymond, the NFU’s dairy board chairman, said: “These stark figures reveal the very desperate situation on many dairy farms and won’t be a surprise to the many farmers out there who are trying to make a living.”

“The irony is that if dairy farmers had received their fair share of available market returns this year, we wouldn’t be faced with such a staggering gap between the price we’re paid for our milk and the cost of producing it.”

NFU figures show the average cost of milk production is currently 29.1p per litre, while the average British milk price is 25.94p per litre in supermarkets - a gap of 3.16p.

The British pig industry is on the verge of collapse. Again thanks to supermarkets!!

In 2008 20,000 people supported the Pigs Are Worth It! campaign and signed the petition. That petition was presented to 10 Downing Street and played a significant role in helping pig farmers campaign for supermarkets to pay them a fair price for pork - and ultimately save the British pig industry. Since 2008 pig farmers have invested in more efficient systems and they have enhanced their environmental sustainability to deliver very high welfare, quality assured pork to meet growing demand.

Today, just as in 2008, rocketing feed prices have pushed up the cost to farmers of producing pigs. Farmers are losing more than £21 on every pig they sell. In the weeks before Christmas, pig producers racked up losses of nearly £25 million.

The situation for producers today is worse than in 2008. Unlike three years ago, current feed prices look likely to remain sky high for the foreseeable future. Pig farmers are now facing major financial losses and many are in danger of going out of business. But at the same time supermarkets are still reporting record profits. We need those supermarkets and processors to remember the lessons of 2008 and pay pig producers a fair price - before it’s too late.

All we want is a fair price for pigs, because Pigs Are Still Worth It!

Please register your support for the Pigs Are Still Worth It! campaign by clicking here and signing the online petition.